School is back in session, the weather is getting cooler (for many) … and ARGH, it’s also performance review season, something we all look forward to, NOT!
Because, it is the time of year when coffee ☕️ consumption spikes and folks consider faking an alien 👽 abduction just to avoid “The Talk.” Stress levels are high and wellbeing challenged.
Jokes aside, effective performance reviews are important for business growth and staff development. But the approach needs to be updated because no one seems to have listened to Bob Dylan when he sang that “The Times They Are a Changing” almost 60 years ago, and performance reviews with their lack of evolution, have fallen behind. Granted he would probably be horrified that I’m applying the concept of the song to performance reviews, but Gen Z are really pushing the needle toward the demand for change in a way we haven’t really seen since the 1960s.
Let’s dive into a refreshing take on this age-old ritual (or at least 50 year old process in it’s modern day form) and explore how it might be made, dare I say, enjoyable and helpful?
**Why Traditional Reviews Feel Like Eating Overcooked Broccoli 🥦 **
1. One-Sided Conversations 🗣️🚫👂 : Traditional reviews often feel like a lecture, not a dialogue. It’s like being told how to eat your veggies without getting a word in edgewise!
2. Vague Feedback 🤷♂️❓🌀 : “Needs improvement” without specifics is as helpful as a chocolate teapot.
3. Past-focused 📺 ☎️ 💾 : Dwelling on past mistakes without actionable steps for the future is akin to trying to drive while only looking in the rearview mirror.
**Jazzing 🎷Up Feedback: A New Tune **
1. Clear Objectives Make Happy Reviews 🎯 😊 : Start with clarity. Are we assessing jazz hands, interpretative dance skills, or just good ol’ lawyering?
2. Balance is Key ⚖️🔑 : Just like a good comedy duo, feedback should have both praise (the straight man) and constructive critique (the comic).
3. Be Specific 🔍 🎯 : “I liked when you did X during Y” is better than “You’re doing…stuff.”
4. Two Ears, One Mouth 🌽 🌽 🫦 : A reminder that we should listen twice as much as we speak in reviews. Engage in dialogue!
5. Hello, Tomorrow 👋 🌅 : Sure, yesterday was fun, but tomorrow’s where the party’s at. Focus on future growth.
6. Wellbeing Isn’t Just a Buzzword 🍎 🚫 🐝: We get it; reviews can make palms sweaty. So let’s ensure feedback bolsters both personal and professional lives. Remember, we’re all humans here (even the partners).
**AI: Not Just for Sci-Fi 👽 Movies **
1. Data Crunching 📊 💥 : AI can analyze vast amounts of data faster than we can say “lawyer joke.”
2. Holistic Feedback Gathering 🌐 💬 : AI tools can pull feedback from myriad sources, ensuring everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame.
3. Training on Autopilot 🤖 📚 : AI can suggest training courses based on performance, like a personalized Netflix recommendation but for professional growth.
**Keep AI Mindful ☯️ **
1. Keep the Human in HR ❤️ 👥 : AI provides data; humans provide understanding. Let’s not mix the two.
2. Protect Their Secrets 🤐 🔐 : Ensure our AI tools respect data privacy more than a magician with a trick up his sleeve.
3. Transparency is Golden 🔍✨: Always let the team know if AI is peeping at their performance. No one likes a sneak.
4. Don’t Put All Your Eggs in the AI Basket 🐣 🧺: It might make good toast, but it can’t replace human judgment.
Performance reviews needn’t be the annual event everyone dreads, because there are too many songs like “Manic Monday”, “I Don’t Like Mondays”, “Hard Days Night” and “Take this Job and Shove it”, to name a few, that evidence people like their jobs as much as overcooked broccoli or running out of coffee. Let’s commit to growth, make feedback fun, and perhaps, just perhaps, turn the review season into something we (almost) look forward to!
Until then, get those jazz hands 🤗 moving to shake things up so you can complete those performance review season with a new approach.
